What is the full form of IFS

IFS: Indian Foreign Service

IFS stands for Indian Foreign Service. It is as prestigious as Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in the Indian administrative setup. It is the diplomatic, central civil service under Group A services that deals with the handling of various external and internal affairs of the country in multiple missions abroad or the Ministry of foreign affairs. Its headquarters is in South Block, New Delhi.

The IFS officers represent the country in international territory mainly in the field of diplomacy, trade, and cultural relations and are responsible for managing the external affairs of the country, including the responsibility for developing trade and cultural relations.

Eligibility Criteria for IFS:

• The candidate should be a citizen of India.
• The candidate should be a graduate from a recognized university or must have an equivalent qualification.
• The minimum age required is 21 years, and the maximum age limit is 31year as of 1st August in the year of examination. However, relaxation is given to SC, ST, OBC categories, and Physically Handicapped candidates.

After satisfying the eligibility criteria, the candidate is required to clear the Civil Services Exam, which is conducted by the UPSC, to become an IFS officer.

Job Responsibilities/Work Profile of an IFS:

An IFS officer performs a wide range of tasks, some of which are as follows:

• To represent India in international organizations and safeguard its interests related to trade, investment, bilateral economic and political cooperation, cultural appreciation, media relations, defence and more
• To closely monitor and assess the situations in other countries and carry out detailed discussions, negotiations, and diplomacy to promote India's strategic interests
• To report matters that may affect policy formulation and views of the host countries
• To promote India's commercial and economic interests as well as Indian exports, industrial collaborations, and trade events at international forums
• To develop and promote friendly relations with the other countries and their people
• To provide consular facilities for non-resident Indians and foreigners staying in the country
• To Liaison with media to maintain and manage relations in multilateral, domestic and international affairs
• To represent the country in multilateral organizations like the United Nations
• To frame and implement policies that govern India's relations with other countries
• To manage international diplomatic protocol during the visit of foreign dignitaries to India
• To oversee the activities of multilateral and regional organizations
• To handle legal disputes, protocol issues, interactions with the press, administration, etc.